Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Shadowed Tragedy
Chapter 3: Loyal Cerberus
While the group camped out at the outskirts of the village, Nier approached the group, holding a regal letter in his hands.
"Hey, we got an invitation from the King of Facade." Nier informed the group. "We're going to need everyone to come. He's going to be quite interested to meet all of you."
"You and him are old acquaintances?" Virion asked back.
"Something like that. He's a boy, but a real good one." Nier answered back.
"Huh, royalty… That's intriguing." Corrin remarked, with a hand under her chin in pondering.
"It does this old book good to see a boy become a man." Grimoire Weiss stated.
Richard turned to Momiji, before he then dragged her away from earshot of Nier, Emil, Kaine and Grimoire Weiss.
"Momiji, I need you do me a favour." Richard answered back. "When we reach the kingdom of Facade… there will be a stray band of wolves. One of them is a Shade, and their pack leader. I hope that there might be an alternative way to attain the key fragment…"
"...What do you mean?" Momiji asked, intending to understand the context of Richard's worry.
"...That Shade is 'Loyal Cerberus', one of the five key fragments. Right now, there is still hope that there can be peace brokered between the wolf pack. But we need to do this carefully. That wolf Shade… it still believes in peace and co-existence. That will change when the wedding ceremony will end up pelting many wolves for robes. If you were in its paws… how would you feel?"
Momiji tensed up, as her expression stiffened with anger, although she kept it under a cool mask. "...And you know that Nier will shatter our chances to achieve this peace?" Momiji asked back.
"...We might still have to kill the Shade. Nier won't let it be." Richard answered back. "If Nier finds that Shade, everything in his path will die, even the maternal wolves and the pups… He won't care a single bit, because he vilifies Shades and everything that follows under them."
"I see…" Momiji stated. "And yet… you still wish to save him?"
"...If only he could see and understand the truth, no matter how terrible it is to him now…" Richard responded back. "He'll be a great hero and a better brother to Yonah… As well as ridding this world of a threat we don't need."
Richard and Momiji returned, as Nier turned to them.
"Ah, we were just talking about the wedding. You two went off before I even started… What were you talking about?" Nier asked back.
"...Personal matters." Richard declared calmly, with a serious look towards Nier, trying to intimidate him into dropping the topic, as Nier understood and backed down.
"If you insist." Nier responded back. "Let's go, we gotta take the boat to the desert port."
The group headed to the village, as they boarded the boat, leaving the grassy plains of the village, and into the vast desert, stopping at a port that was in a sandy river.
As the group traversed the desert, they found that there were many wolves sprinting about on it, as the group took notice of it.
"Wolves, in the desert…" Link remarked. "Not a strange occurrence."
"Does it not strike you odd to find such a thing?" Grimoire Weiss answered back.
"Not really, no. But still, now that you mention it, it's not the kind that is acclimated to a desert…" Sanae added. "They're more of the kind you find in lush forests and green plains. Huh… What caused that kind of emigration to happen… or perhaps their environment changed into this… and how it could have ended like this, leaves a scary thought in my head."
"Well, we can certainly guess what they've been eating." Nier stated. "Now that you mention it, Momiji, you did say that you are part-wolf, aren't you?"
"I did, so?" Momiji asked back stoically.
"What do you think of all of this? Would it irk you if I killed-" Nier suggested.
"Before you finish that sentence, as much as I respect that wolves in a desperate environment turn towards carnivorous methods, and should be put down for the better of the people, these wolves are better left alone. It's not like that they're attacking anything in sight. We should be fortunate that they're fed enough to leave us be." Momiji stated with a harsh tone in her voice, indicating her disdain.
"But…" Nier argued.
"They're out of their natural habitat, with likely no way out. They could possibly be an endangered species at this point." Momiji answered back. "And if you insist on it, I'll painfully remind you how cruel that sounds."
"Alright, alright, you convinced me. But don't expect me-" Nier stated.
"Your abhorrence for Shades is evident enough to guess the words to come out of your mouth. If it's a Shade, that's your judgement. But leave the others be. End of story." Momiji interjected.
Kaine and Emil shared looks, before turning to Gus, who nodded back, and then to Richard.
"Well, duh, what did you expect?" Richard told both of them.
Eventually, they managed to reach the Facade city, as the city of sand and earth was bustling with the residents of the nation, all native citizens dressed in brown robes, wooden painted masks, and leather boots. Momiji took the chance to use a tattered hood to hide her wolf-like ears, before anyone would comment on that. As for Kaine, she decided to wait by the city gate.
"Woah… So this is a desert city… It reminds me of a place back home…" Elma stated, taking in the views.
Eventually, they entered the palace at the far end of the city, as the guards took one look at Nier and Grimoire Weiss, before they moved aside, letting the rest of the group enter the lantern-lit halls of the royal building.
They soon found the King of Facade, a black-haired young man with a horned and red-eyed mask on the side of his head, and dressed in black robes with golden glittered circles along the bottom of the robe. When he saw Nier, his face lit up.
"(Oh, you came! And you brought some friends! It's been so long!)" The king spoke in Japanese, a language that everyone but Elma recognised.
"We hear your days of bachelorhood are coming to a close, King!" Grimoire Weiss stated.
"Congrats." Nier stated with a thin smile.
"So this is the King of Facade, a good man indeed." Virion stated, before he then knelt down slightly, as a gesture of respect. "(I pay my respects to a young and aspiring king of a nation of sand and earth.)"
This shocked Nier's group, and the King of Facade, before the latter began to laugh heartily.
"(Ah! So your friends know our sacred language. You have made quite the friends, Nier and Weiss!)" The King jovially stated. "(You need not treat me humbly. I am, as you said, an aspiring king. Such respect is wasted on me now.)"
"(Please forgive my friend, he has good respect for royalty with a noble heart.)" Richard explained. "(It's just that your language is quite similar to one of our own. So we can easily be welcomed, without a language barrier to cause poor misunderstandings, heheh.)"
"Hm, these friends of ours become more and more intriguing." Grimoire Weiss commented. "Forgive my prying, King, but we are all eager to know the identity of your lucky bride."
Suddenly, a similarly dressed woman appeared, whose robes were white instead of black, and her head was covered by a white bridal veil and a wooden mask much like the Kings.
"(How nice to see you again, Nier. And you have more people than before.)" The female spoke in a polite tone.
"(Ah, you must be the future queen then.)" Link answered back with a smile.
"Hold on… Fyra?" Nier remarked with recognition flashing across his face.
"(That's right!)" Fyra declared, spreading her arms out joyously.
"You have grown into a fine example of womanhood. I'm sure you will make a splendid queen." Grimoire Weiss stated.
"Kaine's going to want to see this." Nier stated.
"(Hah hah hah! Indeed.)" The King declared, before turning to Elma. "(Such a young girl, and yet she looks like that she is a great shaman…)"
"Um…" Elma muttered sheepishly, before Richard pet her head, causing her to look towards him.
"(Her name is Elma, she's a healer. She comes from a clan far, far, away. She is as pure and innocent as she looks. Too much for such a harsh world like this, hah hah.)" Richard joked.
"(You would be great company for the wedding to come, black warrior.)" The King responded back. "(Now then, I am truly glad to see you, Nier. Did you know my bride threatened to boycott the ceremony if you didn't come?)"
"Boycotting a marriage, now that I gotta see." Sanae chuckled.
"(Ah, and you must be Emil?)" The King turned to Emil.
"P-Pleased to make your acquaintance, your Royalness. Congratulations on your wedding!" Emil answered back shyly.
"(Thank you!)" The King graciously stated back.
"Um, I'm sorry Kaine's not here, but…" Emil apologised.
"(Let me guess: She's outside, right?)" The King said, before scoffing loudly. "(What nonsense! She knows she is welcome here. And now, I insist you stay with me tonight, as honoured guests of the royal family!)"
"(We are honoured.)" Gus stated.
"(Your Highness, if I may excuse myself.)" Momiji requested.
"(Ah, what is it? Don't be shy, I will not persecute you like the elders will.)" The King stated.
"(I will be taking leave outside of the city. I have some… business to take care of.)" Momiji responded back.
"(Of course, of course! Leave as you wish! Your own free will is your guiding path!)" The King answered back.
Momiji then turned to leave, as Nier faced her.
"What business?" Nier asked firmly.
"...None of your concern." Momiji declared, before she then left the room.
Nier looked at the leaving Momiji, as he then turned to Richard.
"Don't worry about her, she can take care of herself. And I assure you, she's not doing anything shady." Richard assured Nier.
"But still… nevermind." Nier stated, as he let the complaint die in his throat.
In the desert, several hours later…
There was a large Shade in the form of a wolf, leading a pack of wolves alongside it, as they were sprinting along the bottom of the canyon, as if they were rushing to somewhere.
"Hurry! One of our brothers is caught in a human trap!" The Shade declared. "Why do they hunt us? What do they gain other than our fur!?"
Eventually, they reached a large clearing, as they expected to find a wounded wolf alone, only to find that Momiji was there, with her wolf-ears to be seen, as she was gently nurturing the wounded wolf with her hands, soothing it, with a broken bloodied trap nearby.
"...What?" The Shade Wolf declared. "What is this…?"
"Leader, this human… she doesn't seem to be afraid of us, and what's more… our brother isn't even trying to gnaw at her…. It's as if… she's our kin." One of the wolves stated with various growls and breaths.
"That's because I am." Momiji stated, diverting her attention from the wolf in her embrace, to the wolves before her, shocking them. "Believe it or not… human I may look, I am also kindred of wolves as well."
"...Were you the one who saved our brother?" The Shade asked back.
"Not just his life… but many of your kin." Momiji stated, pointing up, gesturing at the unconscious Facade hunters on top of a large rock. "Had you come to his aid, the hunters would have claimed the lives of many."
"What!? Using our young to bait us here and lay slaughter on us!?" A wolf snarled in anger. "First they pollute our streams, ruin our forests, and now they intend to slaughter us for trying to survive in the desolate environment that they created!? Enough is ENOUGH! The humans MUST-"
"ENOUGH!" The Shade roared. "...We can consider that course of action later. Kindred… If what you said is true, many of our lives are owed to you. It is something that we have never admitted. Every person here, even the foreigners, see us as blood-thristy predators to be killed and hunted. But you… you defied that to save us."
"Human-formed or not, I will not let wolves that have suffered their lives be dealt a cruel hand in fate." Momiji stated. "As for your action, I ask that you strongly reconsider it."
"Reconsider!? What is there to reconsider!? Don't assume that you can just simply convince us to let go of our hatred for humans, even if you ARE an exception!" A wolf howled back. "They deserve retribution for the countless kin they have slain!"
"I understand that. But let your pack leader speak for you." Momiji nodded back. "...Tell me, you are the one they serve at the beck and call of. You know that this desert is an environment that you barely can survive in, with a life of great struggle. Tell me, if this place does not suit you, why have you remained here… or why you have come here?"
"...Alas, it is as my brothers say. Our forests and homes have been ruined by the greed of humans, all becoming patches of barren land. What was our lifeline in water has been poisoned by the pollution of humans. Although we could have been safer there than here from them… we would have long perished before this moment." The wolf Shade declared with a solemn tone. "I still believe in coexistence with humans… but they constantly hunt us down… I am at wit's end, kin. It takes but a push for me to let the bottled hatred I have accumulated for the selfish and cruel beings be released in rage. But if you are here, then there might be hope. You must tell the humans to take good care of the forests and rivers. Only then, can we return to the natural flux both races lived in."
"...You have my word I will achieve that goal." Momiji stated. "Until then, flee to the farthest corners of the desert. I will give you aid in obstructing any hunters under the orders of hunting your species down. And I have human friends that understand your plight, and will restore your forests and rivers, if the other humans will not. All you need is to believe and give me time."
The wolves were divided in opinion. Some of them were suspicious of Momiji's words, considering it as a ruse to end them all, while others saw the brighter side, and believed that Momiji's actions would be the salvation of their entire pack and species. Eventually, after some bickering between both factions, the Shade pack leader made its choice.
"Very well, I trust you. We will become scarce in this desert. We will travel back to the mainland, no matter how many of us die by poisoning or starvation. Because it is a better fate than being hunted by the uncaring hunters here." The Shade wolf answered back.
"Then you have my gratitude in trusting my word." Momiji stated. "It will not be long until the hunters awaken. You must go before they do. I will return to my friends."
The wolves immediately scattered, with the wounded one being carried by two of its brethren, and Momiji using her natural speed to escape from the scene quickly, arriving at the city gates, where Richard was waiting.
"So… how was your talk with the wolves, motivating?" Richard asked Momiji.
"It is done, the wolves are retreating from plain sight in the deserts. I doubt that they will attack the people of Facade." Momiji answered back.
"And so the cycle of vengeance is cut." Richard sagely stated, before returning to normal. "Without the Shade Wolf going mad with grief from the slaughter of the pups, Fyra gets to live, Nier doesn't know where it is, and the King of Facade gets a happy life, and no casus belli to slaughter the wolves to extinction."
"...Are you sure this is the right way?" Momiji asked back.
"Damn what the expected way is." Richard scowled with grit teeth. "The Gods who made this sick game, can shove their murder-boners up their asses. I'm going to do this the 'proper' way that I know, and if that fails, I'll at least ensure all parties go away fulfilled in their purposes."
Momiji looked towards Richard with concern, before Richard calmed down.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't snap like this… but, damnit… This world is just as fucked up as Berserk… and equally hopeless. But it's also easier to fix it as well." Richard admitted. "We shouldn't dwell on these matters. After all, we're going to witness a fabulous royal wedding soon. The King and Fyra are a match for each other?"
"Only because I have a good eye to tell." Momiji joked with a smirk.
"True." Richard nodded, before both of them retreated into the city to turn in for the night.
The day of the royal wedding…
The entire front of the court was filled with dancing Facade citizens, as they were singing a national wedding song in unison, holding baskets of flower petals, as they scattered them into the air, livening the atmosphere of the grounds.
"You know, this is the first time in a while since I have seen an official wedding." Virion admitted.
"Oh? How long ago was it?" Nier asked Virion.
"Quite a while ago. I knew a man who was well versed in magic and the blade, and a woman who was the descendant of a legendary hero." Virion answered back. "The man threw his life on the line for all of us, and barely made it back to honour his wish to return to his loved one. A grand wedding befitting of a royal couple like this was thrown. I could remember the party that followed."
"It must be great!" Emil exclaimed. "Just like here, flowers everywhere, and everyone's happy! I'm kinda jealous! Aren't you jealous, Kaine?"
"Meh." Kaine shrugged.
"Oh, don't be like that, cheer up a little." Sanae smiled. "It's a good thing that we see joyous occasions like this in a bleak world."
"I agree. I only wish that everyone could be as happy as the King and his bride Fyra." Elma agreed, with a warm smile and a beaming expression on her face.
"(And thus, in front of these beloved guests, and as per Rule 904…" The king's advisor, a black-robed and masked man declared, holding the book of vows in his hands, acting as the chaplain to the wedding. "(I hereby request that you seal your union with a kiss.)"
"(This sort of thing is always hard for me.)" The King admitted, as he turned away with a timid expression on his face, as Fyra did the same, although her face is hidden, yet Richard could tell she was embarrassed by the situation as well. "(But a king must face his adversity with his head raised, and a courageous heart. Come, Fyra. Let us complete the vow.)"
The couple-to-be descended down the palace stairs, as the King shielded his face from the falling flower petals, while Fyra looked towards Nier, and meekly waved, while Nier smiled and waved back.
When they were in front of the steps, the King immediately moved Fyra's bridal veil away, revealing the slightly-dirty long blonde hair underneath, before he then took her mask off, revealing a doll-like face underneath, with sky-blue eyes.
"Ah, a true beauty reveals herself." Virion mused with a smile.
"This is… well, Princess Zelda would also be impressed by Fyra's beauty." Link stated, bewildered by Fyra's great beauty.
"(My King…)" Fyra spoke.
"(Worry not, Fyra… You will make for a great Queen for the people of Facade. Know that the Kingdom and I will care for you.)" The King stated, as he leaned in to make the kiss, as Fyra slowly eased into it, closing her eyes, as the villagers let out a collective cry of joy.
"Such a great ending!" Sanae exclaimed, clapping her hands in respect. "It's a good thing that there is nothing bad to ruin this moment, right?"
"Of course not, we made sure to keep such problems out of sight." Richard smiled, as he eyed Momiji, who nodded back.
After a while, the wedding ceremony slowly died down, as the citizens returned to their duties, while the King and the newly-crowned Fyra met with the group.
"(Nier, I am glad that you were here to witness my own wedding. I am deeply grateful that you came so far to be here for me.)" The King of Facade stated. "(Once I have some time for Facade to get used to our new Queen, I'll do my best to try and ease the countless rules this kingdom has.)"
"It's no problem." Nier stated. "I hope that you and Fyra live long, happy lives."
"(Thank you, Nier.)" Fyra responded back. "(I suppose that meeting you has become a stroke of luck, to have led to this.)"
"Luck? Oh, don't underestimate yourself." Nier chuckled. "It's because you worked so hard for me, that the King decided that you were the best bride he could have. It's all of your effort."
"(I suppose that you will take leave right now?)" The King asked back.
"Sorry, but I got other matters to deal with. I'll come visit you when I'm done." Nier answered back.
"(That is fine. You and your friends are welcome in Facade, rules be damned.)" The King smiled back. "(May you travel safe, Nier and companions.)"
"(Thank you, Your Highness. We wish for your kingdom's prosperity in the future to come.)" Richard respectfully bid farewell to the King, with a curt bow, as the group left the city of Facade.
As they travelled back through the desert, the group noticed the lack of wolves in the desert.
"Strange… Even though I did say that it was odd that wolves are here, their sudden disappearance is even more peculiar." Grimoire Weiss stated.
"Perhaps they suddenly migrated from this habitat, due to the fact that they couldn't stand to be in here anymore." Link stated.
"You think so?" Kaine asked back, as Link nodded. "...Whatever. It doesn't concern us."
"And we're no closer to those key fragments." Nier stated, before he growled. "Damnit, every moment we waste… Yonah…"
"Rest assured, we will save your sister soon." Momiji assured Nier. "Don't give up yet, there is still hope."
"...You're right, sorry you had to hear that." Nier admitted. "Let's leave this place. Maybe our next lead is in the Junk Heap."
The group nodded, as they returned to the dock, as they found a boat was waiting for them, as they boarded it, returning to the mainland.
Inside the mainland…
Richard, Momiji and Sanae travelled across the plain, as Momiji was using both her enhanced sight, and her own enhanced senses to track down the Shade Wolf and his brethren, under the guise that they were taking a walk around the plain, when their intentions were otherwise.
Eventually, Momiji's eyes spotted the wolves, as he nudged Richard, as the group rushed towards the wolves, as they looked like they were at the edge of lethal starvation, their bodies malnourished and haggard, with a considerable decrease in pack size from what Momiji saw them with last time. All expect for the Shade Wolf, who noticed Momiji.
"...You have come for us. Are these the friends that you said would aid us, kindred?" The Shade Wolf talked to Momiji.
"That is right." Momiji responded back.
"And I can understand you well, pack leader of the wolves." Richard answered back. "But only because you speak a magical language that I understand. Your pack is still animalistic, and thus, I cannot comprehend their words. As such, Momiji will convey the words of your pack to me and my companion, Sanae. Do you understand me?"
"Human… Yes, I understand your words." The Shade spoke with a neutral tone. "Is it true that you can bestow us a home where we will be safe and satisfied? Where our food and water will never be under threat again, nor will our own pack by hunters?"
"I can do that." Sanae spoke up. "My own nature of magic is creating miracles of nature. It will take some faith from my goddesses, but your desires can be fulfilled magnificently, with the help of Richard, who can use his mastery of earth to shape and alter the earth."
"Pack Leader, do you truly trust these humans? If this is all a ruse… then we will all perish." One of the wolves whined in worry.
"It will not end badly. You have done a great step in trusting my word, when you had risks in doing so." Momiji responded back. "But you gambled for a chance for your pack to live happy, and we will fulfil that chance."
"The wolves are suspecting us?" Richard asked Momiji.
"Quite so." Momiji answered back, as she noticed the wolves have quieted down from her answer. "But my words calmed them down for the time being."
"Then we will immediately go into proving it." Richard responded back. "Sanae, your assistance, please."
"I understand." Sanae answered back, before she immediately started a rite, creating a magic circle as the foci of her own magic, while clenching a ofuda of her wind and rain goddess, Kanako Yasaka in one of her hands, and a ofuda of her mountain goddess in the other, and closing her eyes, channeling her magic into them.
Richard immediately went to work as well, slowly pressing his hands down into the earth, as he felt around the entire earth, slowly encompassing the area to be transformed with his magic.
"I call upon thee, Suwa Goddess of Rain and Wind, Kanako Moriya, and Moriya Goddess of Mountains, Suwako Moriya…" Sanae chanted. "Let your powers create my miracle for this piece of earth, where a forest of bountiful harvest, both of animal and plants, will be sowed into the land to be raised, and a sacred ground known to only those who are residents of it, the wolves of the pack. With your great powers, enact this miracle and bless the lost and famished wolves with nature's kindness!"
With the end of the chant, Richard immediately enacted his magic, as the entire patch of land was turned into fertile soil underneath, while Sanae's miracle worked soon after, as trees rapidly grew into a massive forest, with the rest of the plants following soon after. A crystalline barrier shined around the entire forest ground, before it faded into transparency. Depleted of most of their magic, both Sanae and Richard collapsed onto a knee.
"It is done, your haven is created." Richard declared firmly. "To the collective consciousness of all other living creatures, your forest does not exist. Only you and your descendants bear the right to live in this forest and know of it. So long as you remain within it, the barrier will turn all nearby it away, and give you both meat and water to consume."
"So you have kept your word. Truly, I can smell the very nature of the forest, filled with pure water and bountiful game for us to hunt." The Shade Wolf declared. "As you will most possibly be the last humans we will ever have contact with, I can be glad that I believed in the right cause. Had I championed hatred like those with me, I would have perished from my own hubris. You have given us all hope, and for that, you and your own lineage will be our friends."
"We are just glad to protect a animal species that is at the verge of extinction." Sanae admitted back.
"But if I may ask something… Is there, by chance, that you have found a fragment of stone? It is something that we have been looking for." Richard stated.
"I know not truly of what you seek, but if you are looking for a part made from stone? I could say that I have it." The Shade Wolf answered back, before it then violently hacked and coughed, before regurgitating a part of the pentagonal key, which surprised the trio. "...I found this when I was in the exodus. It drew me close to it. When I touched it with a paw… it reminded me of a long-lost memory, long ago… I long knew that I am no mere wolf, but I finally understood what my past was like… So I swallowed the stone fragment, to keep it close to me. It has refused to leave my body or impede my digestion in any way, as if it understands my wish. However, I feel like that it is of better use for someone. The memory alone is what I require from it. You may take it as you please, consider it a gift of gratitude."
Richard gingerly picked up the key fragment, before using a spurt of water magic to clean off the gore, acid and saliva stuck to it, and then pocketing it. "Your selflessness moves me, pack leader." He declared.
"No, it is your and that kindred who moved me with that act of salvation." The Shade Wolf declared. "We will enter the forest. Thank you… for making my own belief true."
The pack of wolves entered the mystical forest, as Richard and Sanae smiled.
"All well, ends well…" Richard stated.
"Not only do we avoid crushing the last wishes of a lonely dog… We get the key without making Facade lose a Queen, and deal with their wolf problem easily.." Sanae cheerfully stated. "Three birds, one stone."
"But we won't have the same luxury… The next key fragment is in Junk Heap… And the Shade there has no way to walk out alive, if we want their key fragment." Richard stated with a grim tone.
There was a morose silence between the both of them.
"...Richard, will we be able to help Nier see the truth?" Sanae asked back.
"...Not now. The time to make that right will be close to the end… Only then, will the truth have the most effect." Richard responded back. "...Even if I have to beat it into him… he needs to understand the consequences."
The three of them immediately made their way back to their abode, prepared for what is to come next.